R. Eric Petersen

Bio: R. Eric Petersen is an academic researcher from Congressional Research Service. The author has contributed to research in topics: Emergency management & Government. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 7 publications receiving 149 citations.

The Promise of All Things E? Expectations and Challenges of Emergent Electronic Government

Abstract: The ambiguous nature of electronic government (e-government) has resulted in hype and confusion, with little systematic consideration of the expectations and limitations of taking government online. This paper seeks to examine the role of e-government in the United States as an evolving process that manifests itself in three distinct sectors: government-to-government, government-to-business, and government-to-citizen. Using this typology as an organizing principle, we show how information technology has the potential to enhance government accessibility and citizen participation. We also show how the move toward a market-focused conceptualization of government information and service delivery raises the potential for blurring citizen and consumer roles, possibly at the cost of a robust, informed, and engaged citizenry.

Assessing Conventional Wisdom about Religion and Politics: A Preliminary View from the Pews

Abstract: Given religious leaders’ frequent opportunities to communicate to a large and receptive audience, political messages delivered during religious services have the potential to make a considerable impact on American politics—with particular significance for political education and mobilization. Social scientists routinely conclude that such messages are indeed disseminated, a claim we test in this study. Is it in fact true that church– and temple–going Americans regularly receive political messages from their ministers, priests, and rabbis during worship services? If so, what forms do these pronouncements take? How intense are they? Is this communication limited to messages from the service leader or does it come from other parts of the service, either informal or ritualistic? Existing empirical assessments of this topic depend heavily on survey research, asking congregants (or, less often, members of the clergy) about the frequency and content of political messages. Although such studies are certainly valuable, we approach religious political communications in a more immediate way: by observing them directly. Our conclusions are based on two waves of attendance at weekly services during 1998–1999, varying by religious tradition and denomination, region, and other dimensions. We find that “political” messages, broadly defined, are indeed delivered quite often. However, content analysis of these messages reveals that they typically address matters of social justice and rarely other types of political activity or belief, such as specific public policies or civic involvement (including voting). Political references during services only very occasionally constituted calls to direct political action on the part of the worshiper. Ultimately, our findings suggest that political content does occur relatively frequently during U.S. religious services, supporting the accounts of other social scientists. Our analysis offers new insight as to the content and nature of the political messages Americans are exposed to during religious services.

Congressional Continuity of Operations (COOP): An Overview of Concepts and Challenges [Updated February 3, 2004]

Abstract: This report discusses the circumstances surrounding COOP planning, including provisions for alternative meeting sites and methods for conducting House and Senate meetings and floor sessions when Capitol facilities are not available.

Electronic Congress: Proposals and Issues

Abstract: The events of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax incidents have prompted some observers to suggest creating a capability for a virtual or electronic Congress (e-Congress) that could function in the event of an emergency Currently, it is unclear exactly how an e-Congress would be constituted and operated; however, a proposal (HR 3481) has been introduced to require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to investigate the feasibility and costs of implementing a computer system for remote voting and communication for Congress to ensure business continuity for congressional operations

The effects of e-government on trust and confidence in government

Abstract: Arguments that e-government may improve citizen trust in government have not been sufficiently tested. We are interested in exploring the potential for e-government to influence citizen attitudes about government, across various population groups, including those with limited technology access and skill. This paper surveys literature relevant to e-government and its effect on civic trust, and summarizes our previous research on citizen attitudes on e-government. We propose further research using an Internet-based experiment that will expose a random sample of respondents to government web sites that are chosen to represent best practices for different types of sites. Surveys administered before and after exposure to the sites will measure any significant changes in attitudes about government in general, as well as perceptions of e-government. Oversampling of low-income and minority respondents will allow us to explore any differential impact across demographic groups.

The Effects of E-Government on Trust and Confidence in Government

Abstract: Trust in government has been declining for more than three decades now E-government has been proposed as a way to increase citizen trust in government and improve citizen evaluations of government generally Using two-stage models to analyze recent Pew survey data, this research explores the relationship between e-government use, attitudes about e-government, and trust in government There is a statistically significant relationship between trust and use of a local government Web site, as well as other positive assessments of federal and local governments The evidence suggests that e-government can increase process-based trust by improving interactions with citizens and perceptions of responsiveness The findings are theoretically important for reconciling the conflicting research on the effects of e-government and for understanding variations by level of government Citizen attitudes toward government, including trust, are core concerns for democratic governance and public administration

E‐government adoption: architecture and barriers

Abstract: Purpose – To provide an integrated architecture framework for e‐government that represents the alignment of IT infrastructure with business process management in public sector organisations and classify the barriers that might complicate the implementation of the proposed architecture framework. The study will help IT practitioners in the public sector learn how to use and manage information technologies to revitalise business processes, improve decision‐making, and gain a competitive advantage from the adoption of e‐government. The proposed architecture framework for e‐government adoption will reduce confusion surrounding e‐government infrastructure in the public sector through understanding the implementation processes, identifying requirements of information and communications technology tools, highlighting the importance of the organisational management resources and the impact of barriers.Design/methodology/approach – A range of earlier studies have been critically examined and analysed to provide an...

Local E‐Government in the United States: Transformation or Incremental Change?

Abstract: In this article, the authors address the recent trajectory of local e-government in the United States and compare it with the predictions of early e-government writings, using empirical data from two nationwide surveys of e-government among American local governments. The authors find that local e-government has not produced the results that those writings predicted. Instead, its development has largely been incremental, and local e-government is mainly about delivering information and services online, followed by a few transactions and limited interactivity. Local e-government is also mainly one way, from government to citizens, and there is little or no evidence that it is transformative in any way. This disparity between early predictions and actual results is partly attributable to the incremental nature of American public administration. Other reasons include a lack of attention by early writers to the history of information technology in government and the influence of technological determinism on those writings.

Institutions, Policy Innovation, and E-Government in the American States

Abstract: Examining the rankings of American states in one fast-growing policy area, e-government, states with the most sophisticated and comprehensive policies varied over a five-year period. What factors account for change in digital government policy innovation over time? Using time-series analysis and 50-state data, the authors find that state institutional capacity is important for continued innovation. They also find an association between reinvention in state governments and the institutionalization of information technology, suggesting a more general orientation toward government reform and modernization. Although state wealth and education were not significant in previous studies, they emerge as predictors of later innovation. The theoretical contribution of this study is to better understand the dynamic character of innovation over time and the role of institutions. The link between reinvention and e-government raises the possibility that the modernization of state institutions generally facilitates innovation.